NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ONE OF TIME ’S TEN MOST IMPORTANT NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE TWENTIETH
CENTURY The “extraordinary” ( The New York Times ) autobiography of the legendary civil
rights leader once called the most dangerous man in America—essential reading for anyone who
wants to understand this nation’s history In the searing pages of this classic biography
Malcolm X the Muslim leader firebrand and activist tells the remarkable story of his life
and the growth of the Black Muslim movement to veteran writer and journalist Alex Haley. Haley
worked with Malcolm X for nearly two years all the while Malcolm did “not expect to live long
enough to read this book in its finished form.” As clear-eyed about his own fate as he was
about the plight of his community Malcolm saw his truth-telling as a gift that would live
beyond his own mortality. Raised in Lansing Michigan Malcolm Little journeyed on a road to
fame as astonishing as it was unpredictable. Drifting from childhood poverty to petty crime
Malcolm found himself in jail. It was there that he encountered the teachings of the Black
Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad. The newly renamed Malcolm X devoted himself body and soul to
Islam quickly becoming the Nation’s foremost spokesman. When his conscience forced him to
leave the group Malcolm founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity to spread an inspiring
message of pride power and self-determination across the country. The Autobiography of
Malcolm X stands as the definitive statement of a movement and a man whose work was never
completed but whose message is timeless. This commemorative edition published on the 100th
anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth is both a celebration of the lasting impact of his story and
a chance to interrogate how far we’ve collectively come. In revisiting his incisive perspective
on the lies and limitations of the American Dream we gain extraordinary insight into the most
urgent issues of our own time.
